Work feeding and positioning mechanism



2 Sl-IEETS,SI-!EET 1 RM m km w INVENTOR. Eden II Kitchell WQM ATTORNEYSJan. 1, 1952 E. T. KITCHELL WORK FEEDING AND POSITIONING MECHANISM FiledFeb. 14, 1947 Jan. 1, 1952 v 1', K 7 2,580,795

WORK FEEDING AND POSITIONING MECHANISM FiIed Feb. 14, 1947 2'SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTORQ Eden T. Kite/1 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 1, 1952WORK FEEDING AND POSITIONING MECHANISM Eden T. Kitchell, Dallas, Tex.,assignor to J. E. Bush, Da'llas,Tex.

Application February 14, 1947, Serial N 0. 728,575

'2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in work feedingand positioning mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide .an improved mechanism forcontinually feeding work insequence and .maintaining the same in a fixedposition during a-desired operation :so as to reduce manual handling ofthe work "to a minimum and thereby simplify and speed the performance ofsaid-operation.

Animportantobject of the invention is to pro vide an improved Workfeeding and positioning mechanism adapted to intermittently feed 'workto a machine for a desired operation, the feeding being suspended duringsuch operation and being resumed at will upon the completion ofsaid=operation.

Aparticular object of the invention is to provide 'an improvedmechanism, of the character described, having a conveyor for feedingwork to a machine with-means overlying and co-acting with the conveyorfor maintaining work in engagement therewith tofacilitate feeding of thework and to hold the same stationary during the-operation of "themachine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism, ofthe character described, wherein the conveyor is adapted to actuatedintermittently for alternately feeding and maintaining work stationaryto permit sei ii automatic manipulation of the work in performing adesired operation.

A' construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading ofthe'following specification and by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is-a side elevational view of a work feeding and positioningmechanism, constructed in accordance with the invention, and shown.associated with a riveting machine,

.Fig. 21s a plan view of the mechanism and a portion of the machine,

Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view, taken on the line 3-3of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view, taken on the line 4-4of Fig. l, and

' Fig. 5 Ba vertical, sectional view, taken on the i 7 line 5--5 of Fig.4.

In the drawings, the numeral it designates a support-or table having theusual uprights or tables were adapted to be employed .incon- Junctionwith a machine, such as an automatic riveting machine 15, for supportingwork as it is fed to and from the machine .(Figs. 1 and .2). The laterisofconventicnal construotionand includes a pedestal It upon which ismounted are ciprocating ram or plunger ll adapted to coact with an anvilblock is projecting laterally from the pedestal beneath the plunger.Coactin-g dies i9 and 2.6 are mounted on the plunger all and anvil block1-8, respectively, and suitablexrivets (not shown) are fed to the lowerdie 28 by a curved track 21. As is most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5,the anvil block 1-8 is fastened-by suitable bolts 22 to the adjacent'end'bars-rt-g of the tables which preferably are disposed in a'linementon either side of the machine it.

Work, such as metallic louvers L and end brackets 3 (Figs. 1 and 3) isadapted to besupportedby the tables to facilitate riveting of the sameby the machine 25. A pluralityof louvers 'L are adapted to be riveted toeach bracket B which extends longitudinally of the tables, while saidlouvers depend substantially vertically therefrom. For feeding the workto the machine, an endless chain conveyor 23 extends longitudinally ofthe right-hand table Ii! adjacent its forward margin or side rail 22 andpasses over end sprockets 2d and 25 which are supported by rotatableshafts 26 and 2?, respectively. Idler sprockets carried by shafts aredisposed intermediate the end sprockets 2d and 25 for supporting theupper flight of the conveyor chain The shafts 29 extend transversely ofhe table below the side rails and are journaled in yokes or .U-shapedbrackets which are welded, or otherwise secured, to and depend from saidrails in spaced relation. A longitudinal angle bar or rails! is securedto the underside of the forward side rail and projects forwardly thereofbetween the sprockets .24 and 25 to provide a guide for the upper flightof theendles chain (Figs. 1, 3 and 4). The flanges of the guide rail 31are directed forwardly and upwardly and the chain rides upon theupwardly-directed flange. Cutout portionsror recesses 32 are formed inthe latter for accommodating the idler sprockets 2t. .A

suitable chain guard 33 for the lower flight of the endless chain iscarried by the forward legs of the brackets 35].

Similar yo'kes or brackets 34 and .35 support the shafts "2.5 and 2?,respectively, of the end sprockets 24 and 25. In order topermittightening of the chain 23, the bracket 34 isadiustably mounted by beingsuspended from a frame :36 whichis slidably supported upon and betweenthe side rails of" the table. Suitable bolts 31 extend throughelongatedopenings orslots 3.8 formedxin the frame 3'55'andare-screw-threaded intothesside rails for fastening said :frame and its bracket "in adjustedpositions. The frame has :a transverse angle bar 39 at its inner end forsupporting suitable screws 40 which bear against one of the cross barsl4 of the table for varyin the position of said frame. Manifestly,tightening of the chain may be accomplished by inward rotation of thescrews 40 so as to slide the frame outwardly toward the end of thetable, while retracting of said screws permits inward movement of saidframe so as to loosen said chain. Suitable strapsconnect the end bar 39of the frame to the lower portion of the bracket 34.

As is most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the sprocket 25 has the rearor inner end portion of its shaft 21 terminating short of the rear legof the bracket 35 and journaled in a substantially upright arm 42secured to and projecting upwardly from the lower portion of saidbracket. The rear extremity of the shaft is polygonal or angular incross-section to provide wrench faces 43 for engagement by a ratchetlever 44 which is held in engagement therewith by a suitable screw 45.The ratchet lever 44 is of conventional construction and is adapted torotate the shaft 21 and its sprocket in a clockwise direction (Fig. whenswung in such direction so as to advance the upper flight of the chainconveyor 23 toward the machine l5; however, the lever is freelyrotatable relative to the shaft in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 5)whereby no rotation is imparted to said shaft when said lever is swungin such direction.

An elongated link 46 pivotally connects the ratchet lever to one end ofa lever 4'! which is pivotally supported by a suitable clevis bracket 48(Fig. 4). The pivoted lever 41 extends forwardly beneath the table andhas a foot pedal 49 pivotally fastened to its forward end. An open-' ing50 is formed in one of the planks of the usual platform 5| for guidingthe foot pedal 49, said platform extending longitudinally of the tableand immediately forwardly thereof and of the machine for supportin oneor more operators. By depressing the foot pedal, the lever 41 is.pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 4) so as to force thelink 46 upwardly and thereby swing the ratchet lever in the samedirection. In this manner, the shaft 21 and sprocket 25 are rotated in acounter-clockwise direction (Fig. 1) to advance the chain conveyor 23toward the machine l5. It is pointed out that the ratchet lever andother elements are arranged so as to impart a predetermined travel tothe conveyor upon each actuation of said lever for positioning the workin the desired relation to the dies [9 and of the machine I5.Ordinarily, the weight of the link is suificient to return the elementsto their inoperative position shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5.

For maintaining the work in engagement with the endless chain, hold-downmembers 52 are pivotally mounted on the table and each member includesan angular, overhanging guard rail or bar 53 overlying and inlongitudinal alinement with the upper flight of said chain. A pluralityof transverse arms or straps 54 connect each bar 53 'to a longitudinalshaft 55 which has its ends journaled in suitable collars 56 carried bythe intermediate portions of the cross bars l4. Thus, eachmember 53 ispivotally supported above the table and is adapted to be swungdownwardly relative thereto so as to dispose its bar 53 into overlyingrelation to the chain conveyor. Downward movement of the member islimited by stop lugs 51 carried by and projecting upwardly from theforward side rail l2 for engagement with the straps54 (Figs. 3 and 4).In order to maintain the louvers L and end bracketsB in fixed relationduring their advancement by the conveyor, the bar 53 of each memberpreferably has its flanges directed forwardly and downwardly inoverlying and overhanging relation to the upper flight of said conveyor.As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the left-hand table that receives thefinished work from the machine is provided with one or more hold-downmembers 52 and, if desired, may be of a construction identical to theright-hand table and include a similar conveyor (not shown).

From the foregoing, it is believed to be readily apparent that work,such as the louvers L and end brackets B, may be held in a fixedposition while fed semi-automatically to the machine l5 by the chainconveyor 23. The individual pivotal mounting of the hold-down members 52permits upward swinging of the same for positioning of work upon theconveyor. As soon as the first end bracket passes beyond the right handmember, a second bracket and louvers may be placed upon the conveyorupon upward swinging of said right-hand member. The hold-down member ofthe left-hand table assists in maintaining the work against movementduring operation of the machine and is particularly effective when saidWork passes from beneath the left-hand, hold-down member of theright-hand table.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof andvarious changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in thedetails of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope ofthe appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A work feeding and positioning mechanism including, a support, anendless conveyor carried by the support, hold-down means pivotallyconnected to said support and having an angular member overlying andextending longitudinally of the conveyor for holding angular work inengagement with said conveyor, the hold-down means and its angularmember being pivotal in a vertical arc transversely of said conveyor topermit positioning of the work, and drive means for said conveyor.

2. A work feeding and positioning mechanism including, a support, anendless chain conveyor carried by the support, a hold-down member havingan angle bar overlying and extending longitudinally of the conveyor forholding angular work in engagement with said conveyor, the hold downmember being pivotally connected to said support for swinging movementin an arc transverse and about a horizontal axis parallel to saidconveyor to permit positioning of the work, and drive means forintermittently actuating said conveyor.

EDEN T. KITCHELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,275,988 Juengst Aug. 13, 19181,536,252 Walstrom May 5, 1925 1,591,422 Haas July 6, 1926 1,715,141Mathieson May 28, 1929 1,941,829 Dorman Jan. 2, 1934 2,259,168 LamprechtOct. 14. 1941

